One thing that I’ve always found interesting about the coin market is the ebb and flow of coins that are (or aren’t) available. If you actively buy and sell coins for any period of time, you learn that certain “rare” issues or series always seem available. Other supposedly available coins can, with no good reason, go through fallow periods where they become very hard to find.   
read more »

2009 isn’t even two months old and I’ve already had the good fortune to handle some pretty special coins. I’d have to say that one of the very best that I’ve handled so far is the Bass 1855-C quarter eagle, graded MS65 by NGC, which is shown below. Let’s take an in-depth look at this specific coin and analyze where it fits into the Pantheon of Great Charlotte Quarter Eagles.   
read more »

If you are a regular reader of my blogs, it’s a pretty safe assumption that you are interested in United States gold coins. And if you like U.S.gold, I don’t think I’m going too far out on a limb to state that you probably like to see photos of and read about special pieces.   
read more »

If you ask ten United States gold coin experts what the most important pedigrees are, you are certain to have the Bass collection mentioned nearly every time. Clearly, the Bass collection was among the greatest collections of United States gold ever assembled. But I’ve learned a dirty little secret about some of the Bass coins that I’d like to share with you.   
read more »

Does it ever make sense to attempt to “corner the market” on a specific gold coin issue? I have seen a number of collectors and dealers do this over the years. Some of these attempts were spectacular successes while others failed miserably. Anyone who collects coins is probably a little eccentric in the first place.   
read more »